Restore ACT 9 database files, after HD crash, from external backup drive to new XP computer -- I followed #19818 and ACT locks up

I now need to restore my ACT Windows 9 database files from the external harddrive backup to the new XP computer. Note: the backup was made by other software and is more of a "mirror" image. I do not have an actual "backup" made by ACT to restore from.

The best I could find was Sage Database article Answer ID #19818, and it seemed good enough. It wasn't perfectly on point. I found the database files on the external backup, identified the proper new location via use of actdiag, copied and moved them. The 19818 had a procedure for "detaching" the files first, but there seemed to be no way to "detach" them in the backup drive -- its just backup data there. Opened ACT on the new XP, and I could now see the databases there to choose from -- so they were now in the right place. But clicking on them fails -- instead the program locks up, we get an error message.

I also noted a posting from someone else that seemed more pertinent to a Vista situation, about first going to services.msc and stopping sql server (act7).

I think I need help now.

So, again, my entire former ACT program is on the external backup. I normally access my backup using ACRONIS software. I can see the files I want there. How do I get them from the external harddrive backup onto my new XP computer and into the right spot so they function? I have tried various and hate to beg help, but somehow, I'm missing something in this procedure.

Re: Restore ACT 9 database files, after HD crash, from external backup drive to new XP computer -- I followed #19818 and ACT locks up

I am replying to my own post, as it was solved. Never had any other replies, though it would seem this is common enough. ACT discontinued service for 2007 9.0 on December 1, 2008, so I missed out there. I talked to two ACT Consultants and they were full of doom and gloom -- they actually didn't think you could solve this simple and easy by simply transferring files over from an ordinary mirror backup done by regular backup software. They were generally prejudiced to believe the ACT database file required restoring from an ACT backup or it might not work. That didn't seem right to me, and it wasn't.

Actually, it is fairly simple, there are just a couple of little semi-visible wrinkles to pay attention to in the transfer of files and in getting ACT on the new host computer to look for the right files. For the longest time, I did all the obvious and it wasn't working, but again, it actually is obvious, you just need to make sure you don't get tangled up in the database file extensions and ACT does not automatically look for the correct extension when looking for your database.

Re: Restore ACT 9 database files, after HD crash, from external backup drive to new XP computer -- I followed #19818 and ACT locks up

I am replying to my own post, as it was solved. Never had any other replies, though it would seem this is common enough. ACT discontinued service for 2007 9.0 on December 1, 2008, so I missed out there. I talked to two ACT Consultants and they were full of doom and gloom -- they actually didn't think you could solve this simple and easy by simply transferring files over from an ordinary mirror backup done by regular backup software. They were generally prejudiced to believe the ACT database file required restoring from an ACT backup or it might not work. That didn't seem right to me, and it wasn't.

Actually, it is fairly simple, there are just a couple of little semi-visible wrinkles to pay attention to in the transfer of files and in getting ACT on the new host computer to look for the right files. For the longest time, I did all the obvious and it wasn't working, but again, it actually is obvious, you just need to make sure you don't get tangled up in the database file extensions and ACT does not automatically look for the correct extension when looking for your database.

Re: Restore ACT 9 database files, after HD crash, from external backup drive to new XP computer -- I followed #19818 and ACT locks up

I'm in the same situation you were. Just found your two posts. I also had imaged my hard drives to an external hard drive with Acronis.

When you say, "it actually is obvious, you just need to make sure you don't get
tangled up in the database file extensions and ACT does not
automatically look for the correct extension when looking for your
database," what exactly do you mean?

Specifically, Act 9 is asking me where the data file is and refers to it as a .pad file.

1. I can't find a .pad file in my external hard drive (containing the image of my PCs hard drive before it crashed).